1. Field of Invention
This invention relates primarily to strike indicators and fishing floats, specifically to such strike indicators as are used in fly fishing and ice fishing, or any form of fishing where a small, lightweight fishing float or strike indicator is desirable.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The fly fishing portion of the fishing sport specializes in using very small and lightweight flies and lures. Fly fishing requires the angler to cast a relatively heavy line to assist in carrying the fly or lure to the water. This contrasts to the sport of spin or bait casting, which requires the angler to use a delicate, lightweight line attached to a heavy lure or bait for casting.
There are many types of floating strike indicators and fishing floats, sometimes called "bobbers." Most of them are too heavy to be useful in fly fishing and have their broadest range of application in spin and bait casting where their weight can enhance the ability to cast. However, since the use of a fishing, float or strike indicator is important in all forms of fishing, including fly fishing, to assist in detecting the lightest strike of a fish, it is essential that such strike indicators be as light as possible for the fly fisher to be able to cast them. In addition, such very small and lightweight strike indicators are beneficial in some types of bait fishing, including ice fishing, where the strike of a fish may be very light and most easily detected with such a strike indicator.
Heretofore, such lightweight strike indicators have been of two categories: floating and non-floating. Non-floating strike indicators have ranged from small pieces of colorful tape rolled around the fishing line, to small segments of tubular plastic, such as wiring insulation, which has been threaded onto the fishing line. It is frequently essential to fish in water that is deep or not clear enough to see the strike indicator when submerged. It is obvious that these non-floating strike indicators are useful only in shallow or very clear water.
Sticky tape can be messy and leave adhesive on the fishing line when removed and is not reusable. Tubular plastic requires that the flies, lures, hooks, sinkers, or snaps be removed from the terminal end of the fishing line for attachment or removal. Such maneuvers can be awkward and time consuming at streamside.
Specifically, two types of lightweight, floating strike indicators have received widest acceptance in fly fishing. They both have the advantages of being floating devices and sufficiently lightweight enough to cast with conventional fly casting equipment. One type is an adhesive-backed foam which is pinched or rolled onto the fishing line at the desired location. While this has the advantage of being lightweight and soft, it is not reusable and leaves a sticky residue on the fishing line and frequently a pocketful of used, sticky, pieces of foam. If they become wet during installation, a common occurrence, they are frequently ruined and will not stick to the fishing line. The discarded pieces are frequently left on the ground by indiscriminate anglers.
The other type of strike indicator in common use is made of polystyrene foam, wood, cork, or other rigid material with a specific density less than water. It is generally a small, symmetrically smooth shape, about a half-inch long and a quarter-inch in diameter. These strike indicators have a bore through their long axis. One type of installation is achieved by either running the terminal end of the fishing line through the bore or slipping the fishing line through a slit in the side and thus into the bore. The latter permits placement along a static line; that is, without removing the fly or lure and weight from the terminal end of the fishing line. Both of these strike indicators require that a toothpick-type device be wedged into the bore to clamp the strike indicators to the fishing line so that it won't slip.
There are several disadvantages to these installations. The toothpick/strike indicator type of installation utilizes two separate parts. Of course, loss of either will render this type of strike indicator installation impossible. In addition, the clamping between the hard and abrasive surfaces will frequently damage delicate fishing line. It is not unusual for the jamming action of the toothpick device to cause the strike indicator to split into two pieces, thus rendering the strike indicator useless. This is especially prone to occur if the strike indicator is of the type with a slit to facilitate fishing line placement.
Another type of installation is achieved by looping the strike indicator onto the fishing line. This is accomplished by passing a loop of fishing line through the bore and then running the terminal end of the fishing line through the loop and pulling tightly. The loop connection will always cause the fishing line to permanently kink and be damaged at the point to which it is applied. In addition, if the fishing line is pulled tightly, as when the lure or fly is hung on a rock or tree, the tight loop will damage or ruin the strike indicator, generally rendering the fishing line and strike indicator useless.
One additional device which has been used in fishing and has relevance to the placement of a fishing float onto a fishing line is U.S. Pat. No. 3,744,176 to Bondhus in 1973, which discloses a float which has been widely used with spin and bait casting equipment. The weight of the float and water it may contain make it possible to cast very small flies and lures with equipment that was designed for spin and bait casting. This fishing float has no application in fly fishing and also has a major disadvantage to any angler. The lure or fly and weight must be removed from the terminal end of the fishing line for attachment or removal, as in the tubular plastic mentioned above.
As a result of the personal creativity of many fly fishing anglers in pursuit of their sport, there may be other forms of strike indicator's in use of which I am not aware. However, of the many with which I am familiar, all of the strike indicators heretofore known suffer from a number of disadvantages:
(a) Adhesive backed tapes and foams are difficult to remove from the fishing line, leave a sticky residue on the fishing line, and are not reusable, thus requiring that they be placed in a pocket or thrown into the envionment. In addition, adhesive-backed foams must be kept dry during installation, a task which is difficult at best while fishing, especially in rainy weather. Even when successfully installed dry, They will frequently slip or simply not stick to the fishing line, causing loss of time and inconvenience.
(b) Many strike indicators require that the terminal end of the fishing line be threaded through the axial bore of the indicator for installation. To install these indicators requires that the fly or lure and weight be removed from the terminal end of the fishing line before installation is possible. In fly fishing, it is frequently necessary to change fishing strategies many times throughout the course of a fishing day. It is very inconvenient and time consuming to change strike indicators in this manner.
(c) Strike indicators with an axial bore require that a toothpick device be wedged into the axial bore with the fishing line to clamp the line into place or that a loop-type connection be used, as described above. Either method will damage the fishing line and/or strike indicator. If the toothpick device swells while in the water with the strike indicator, removal is frequently difficult or impossible. If the toothpick device is pressed into place too firmly, the strike indicator will frequently split into two pieces. If the toothpick device is lost, the strike indicator may be rendered useless.
(d) Strike indicators with an axial bore, which also have a slit through them from the surface to the axial bore, do facilitate fishing line installation, but have the same disadvantages as the indicators listed in (c) above, but tend to split more easily when the toothpick device is pressed into place. In addition, If the toothpick device should be lost from the installation while fishing, the strike indicator will be easily lost because the fishing line can slip through the slit in the side of the strike indicator.
(e) Non-floating strike indicators, such as tubular plastic, can be difficult to install, and unusable in deep or less than very clear water where they can't be seen.
(f) Strike indicators or fishing floats which are used in spin or bait casting are too heavy, large, or bulky to be usable in fly casting. Such strike indicators are also generally not sensitive to the light strikes experienced in fly fishing and some bait fishing techniques, such as ice fishing.
As can be seen from the foregoing discussion, an invention has been needed which would make the use of strike indicators and small fishing floats more efficient and convenient. My invention has provided those qualities. My invention has heretofore evaded discovery primarily due to the strong tendencies of fly fishers to follow traditional lines of thought, sometimes to their disadvantage.